Holder



Nov. 27 1923. 1,475,227

I c.'J. FERGUSON TALKING MACHINE NEEDLE HOLDER Filed Sept. 1. 1922@Zarezae Jflr zzsazz INVENTOR BY i ATrbRNn WITNESS:

Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

PATENT OFFIQE.

CLARENCE J. FERGUSON, OF CASPER, WYOMING.

TALKING-MACHINE-NEEDLE HOLDER.

Application filed September its object the provision of a novel holderdesigned to be used inthe'ordinary needle socket and designed for thepurpose of holdmg acactus thorn, yucca point or other slender thorns orthe like or splinters of vegetable matter so that such articles may beused effectively to replace the ordinary stylus or needle, the advantagebeing that these slender thorns are much more delicate than the'ordinary o well known bamboo points and will therefore reproduce withgreater faithfulness and with less objectionable noise. 7

It is well known that it requires a fine point/to follow the minutevariations in the cuts oftalking machine records to secure properreproductions. The well known metallic styli have the disadvantage ofproducing sounds which have a metallic character and which are not afaithful ro production of the sounds employed in the making of the'originalrecord. The nonmetallic rigid points, sapphire, diamond and thelike are costly and also wear the records rapidly. The bamboo needlesare eflicient but are rather blunt/so that while'the sounds produced areof good qual-' ity and tone many ofthe finer notes and more delicategraduations are lost.,

It is with all the above facts in view that I have designed the'fpresentdevice which operates to hold a-slender thorn or other similar piece ofvegetable matter in such a 'way that it will have sufficient rigidity toaccomplish the purpose and it ,is moreover an object to construct thisholder in such a way that the degree of protrusion of the pointed endbeyond the holder may be varied for producing loud or'soit playing in amanner similar to the use of long, orshort metallic needles.

An additional object is the provision of a device of thi character whichwill'be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, which may be used inconneetion'with the ordinary stylus'holding Bracket of a reproducer,which 1, 1922. Serial No. 585,715.

will permit ready insertion and removal oi the points, and which will bea general im provement in the art.

lVith the abovev and other objects and advantages in view the inventionconsists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed and illustrated in the accompanving drawings, inwhich: s

Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of the de vice,

Figure 2 is a vertical section therethrough showing a thorn held inplace and showing the device mounted in the needle holding socket of areproducer, the section being taken onthe line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the spring.

Referring more particularly to the drawingsthe numeral 10 designates-thebody of the device which is formed of metal and which is provided at oneend with a reduced extension 11 adapted for insertion within the needleholding socket A of a reproducer to be engaged by the usual thumb screwB for holding the device stationary. The lower end of this body 10 ispreferably curved or inclined at its side edges as indicated at 12 so asto terminate in a substantial point 13 and formed in this lower portionis an opening 14 which is of wedge shape or V-shaped with the vertex ofthe angle adjacent the point 13. The edges of the opening 1% are,beveled as shown so that the lower corners will be sharp as illustratedat 15.

Either'for'med upon or secured to the body 10 is a forwardly extendingflange 16 provided with a V-shaped notch 17 having its edges beveled.Secured at one end to the underside of the flange 16 or some otherconvenient location is aspring 18 which has its free end disposed abovethe flange. If preferred an upstanding lug 19 may be pro videdforlimiting the movement of the free end of the spring toward theextension 11 when there is no stylus in the device.

'As above stated the device is held by insorting and clamping theextension 11 within the needleholding socket A. A point C such as aslender cactus thorn, yucca point orthe like is inserted from underneathup through the opening 14 and engaged within the notch 17, the free endofthe spring engaging the butt of the thorn or the like which extendsabove the flange 16, The

spring operates to rock the thorn or other pointin the notch so that thesmall end of the'thornhvill'be forced into the iiarroi'v end of theopening 14.

When the record is rotated in the usual manner the direction of rotationis such'that the drag of the point upon the record will assist inholding the point Within the narrow endof the o ening 14, thus causingthe point to be firm 'y'se'aited' and"insuringthe transmission of thevibrations to the-diaphrag 'n o'f the rep'roduc'er; A feature to beobserved is that 'theposition of th e thorn may be varied so as to'causethe point to project to gi greater or less extent below the bottomportion 12' ofthe holder, thus making it possible to changethe'lou'dness in the ame mun-e a si g ong n Sheri ne or ordinary types.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of "theinvention it is h he; a

of course to be understood that I reserve the right to inakesuch changesin the form, con struction and arrangement of parts as 'vvill i1denartfmm th s iP-it o he venti er s epebif th s11 jo n ims- Havingthus, described my invention I claim:

1 A device of the character described comprising a body formed atone end-ith extension adapted to be held Within the needle holding socket of areproducer, a foot member at the bottom of said extension e m w th we eSh e Queu ng a not hed flange atthe'intermediate portion of the bodyhaving the notch. in alignment.

with sa d re 'g shap op i g h Qp r fn's ein designed to re ive h m l rend of a'st ylujs and the notch being designed to receive the larger endthereof, and a spring atthe upper portion of the body engageable' with'the upper end of the stylus for rocking the same at the notch to causethe smaller end to fit snugly against the nar- JQ e d of he Qip i e '2.A device of the character described c mp s ng a bo y m ber Pr v de h mans f r S p from h yis: o i g socket ofja talking machine reproducer,said body being Prov ded at its. lower end h ceiving the upper portionof a stylus, and means engageable vyith the stylus for bold ing the samewithin the guide and the opening, consisting of a spring having one endsecured and the other end free and engaging the stylus above theguide.

t. A device of the character described coniprising a body member formedat one end with anextension designed to be secured Within the" stylusholding socket of a repro ducer and formed at its other end with a footmember extending at an angle and provided with a \l shap'ed opening, aflange formed at the intermediate portion of the body provided With a\l-shaped notch arrangedabove said opening, a stop lug projec pwa d yfrom sai a g Said opening being designed to receive the smaller end of astylus member and said notch being 's'ig ed t rece r he up e en thereof,d SPBi a ingne a secure d its ether end and extending above said fla e eage t e ppe and o t e sty said lug operatin to limit the; movement of hethe of b spr n when he Stylus is removed. 1

5 e i e i h h rme des rib d ,wmpris g a b dy me en p ovi ed wi h meansfor support from the stylus holding SPQket ofa ta king machinereproducer, said body being proxgided with a projection hav- 1g weir-1 1ec v n in ing: t rein, crum means on the body for guidably receiving thestylus, andqspring, means, for clampng t e se en u th u i'd and openi ghe S y u ng flex ever's iu c u 6. A device oi the. character describedeu p isin bed m mber designed to be held within the stylus holdingsocket of a repnoducer' and iormed with a foothaving-anopeningtherein, afulcrum on h b h v n a not nd pr nieans on said body for clampinglyengaging a stylus above the fulcrum and urging the lower end, oif thestylus into, one end of said open 7; device of the character describedcomprising a support adapted to be carried by the reproducer of atalking machine, said body, having an angular, pdrtion constituting a,foot, said foot beingformed with a slot, a stylus guide on the body, andspring means he a e eve' ev gu o cl pin a fity ll gainst. the guide withits lower end projeeting beyond the foot and inengage- 1 91 w h on end oa p ng- 8, A device of the charatcer described m risin a pp rt g edy a nmeans for connection ithin the stylus "holding Sket j a ta king.- m eh er p du tseid body having a guide slot to.) have a, egztendedthggethrough, a combined t i a and "fiKJQI- m 0. 1 QhQbQ iYZ the,Stylus. en spr ngelsmp enga in he; pb n 9i. iI..- tluS.f-9n rginathslwei wend-therer til of into engagement with one end of the slot.

9. A device of the character described comprising a supporting bodyprovided at one end with means for connection within the stylus holdingsocket of a talking machine reproduoer, said body having its other endterminating in an angularly extending foot formed with a slot, a notchedguide on the intermediate portion of the body serving as a fulcrum for astylus engaged therein with its lower end projecting through the slot,and means on the body engaging the stylus above said guide for urgingthe lower end thereof into engagement with the end of said slot mostremote from the body.

10. A device of the character described comprising a supporting bodyprovided at one end with means for connection within the stylus holdingsocket of a talking machine reproducer, said body having its other endterminating in an angularly extending foot formed with a slot, a notchedguide on the intermediate portion of the body serving as a fulcrum for astylus engaged therein with its lower end projecting through the slot,and means on the body engaging the stylus above said guide for urgingthe lower end thereof into engagement with the end of said slot mostremote from the body, said means including an elongated substantiallyU-shaped spring having one end secured to the body below the guide andits other end disposed above the guide in contact with the stylus.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CLARENCE J. FERGUSON.

